Kiandra Steffy believes excellence isn’t optional. It’s a responsibility.
That belief was formed long before she earned a law degree or stepped into legal leadership. It was shaped in a Lancaster home led by a determined single mother and a faithful grandmother. It was reinforced in classrooms across the School District of Lancaster. It continues to guide her today as Deputy General Counsel at Milton Hershey School.
During Black History Month, SDoL is proud to celebrate Steffy, a 2006 graduate of McCaskey High School, whose journey reflects advocacy and a deep commitment to educational equity.
A Foundation of Faith and Expectation
Steffy was born and raised in the City of Lancaster. An only child, she grew up in a single-parent household with her mother at the helm and her grandmother providing steady guidance.
“My mom and my grandmother have been my greatest influence,” she shares
Her mother modeled perseverance. Challenges were met with solutions. Obstacles were approached with determination. Her grandmother instilled faith and discipline, teaching her that character is built through consistency and conviction.
They reinforced that excellence isn’t something you pursue when it’s convenient. It’s something you carry with you.
Growing up in Lancaster also meant growing up within a village. Neighbors knew each other. Adults stepped in when guidance was needed. Expectations were shared across households.
“It wasn’t just one person pouring into me,” Steffy reflects. “It was a village.”
That village shaped her confidence and her understanding that success isn’t rarely individual. It’s collective.
From Washington Elementary to McCaskey
Steffy attended Washington Elementary School and Hamilton Elementary School, then Reynolds Middle School before graduating from McCaskey High School in 2006. At McCaskey East, she was part of the college prep small learning community and became involved in WJPM, now WMCC, initially envisioning a future in broadcast journalism.
Communication came naturally to her. She imagined herself telling stories, asking thoughtful questions, and engaging audiences on a national stage.
When she enrolled at the University of Maryland as a communications major, that path seemed clear. But during her undergraduate studies, a constitutional law course changed her direction.
“I kind of fell in love with it,” she recalls.
The structure of legal reasoning, the analysis, and the impact of law on everyday lives captured her attention. She added criminology and criminal justice as a second major, and what began as curiosity evolved into calling.
She went on to earn her law degree at Drexel University, becoming a first-generation professional in her family.
“Becoming an attorney represents resilience for me,” she says. “It’s a reminder that my ancestors’ sacrifices created opportunities that I now have the responsibility to maximize.”
Passing the bar wasn’t simply a personal milestone. It was generational progress.
Leading with Representation and Purpose
As Deputy General Counsel at Milton Hershey School, Steffy provides legal guidance within an educational setting that serves students from diverse backgrounds. Her career has consistently centered schools because she believes deeply in their power.
“My experiences in the School District of Lancaster shaped my belief that schools can change the trajectory of a child’s life,” she says.
The legal profession remains a space where Black women are underrepresented. Steffy is aware that there are rooms where she’s the only one who looks like her.
Rather than shrinking in those spaces, she prepares. “What could be viewed as a challenge is also an opportunity,” she explains.
She ensures she’s thorough. She ensures she’s informed. She ensures her voice is clear. In doing so, she not only fulfills her role but expands the vision of who belongs in those spaces.
“I model representation,” she shares.
She’s seen firsthand how powerful that visibility can be. When students see someone who shares their background in leadership, possibility becomes tangible.
Advocacy in Action
Early in her career, Steffy submitted a 76-page clemency petition to President Barack Obama on behalf of a federal inmate whose sentence would have been significantly shorter under revised law. The petition was granted.
It was pro bono work. There was no financial gain.
“There was nothing in it for me,” she reflects. “I genuinely wanted to give someone a second chance.”
That moment reinforced her belief that law isn’t simply about policy. It’s about people. It’s about impact.
When asked what legacy she hopes to leave, her answer is steady.
“A legacy rooted in integrity, high ethical standards, advocacy, and opening doors for the next generation,” she says
What Black History Month Means at Home
For Steffy, Black History Month is both celebration and responsibility.
“Black History Month is a time to honor the legacy, resilience, and contributions of Black leaders while also celebrating everyday Black excellence,” she explains.
At home, she and her husband are intentional about raising their three children with a strong sense of identity. They share stories of national leaders such as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Michelle Obama, while also reflecting on the strength within their own family.
She often reminds her children that they’re living in the answered prayers of those who came before them.
“I feel like I am a living example of my ancestors’ wildest dreams,” she says.
That perspective keeps her grounded.
Words for the Next Generation
“Do not limit your vision for yourself,” she says
“Work hard, stay disciplined, and remember that your voice and your presence matter in every space you enter.”
She emphasizes preparation. She emphasizes confidence. She emphasizes integrity.
Her advice to the entire SDoL community during Black History Month reflects the same clarity.
“Honor the past, excel in the present, and build intentionally for the future,” she says
Carrying the Village Forward
When reflecting on her journey, Steffy often returns to Lancaster. The diversity she experienced in SDoL classrooms prepared her to navigate professional spaces with authenticity. The expectations placed on her by her family prepared her to lead. The village that supported her prepared her to support others.
From Washington Elementary to McCaskey, from communications dreams to constitutional law, from first-generation graduate to legal leadership, Kiandra Steffy’s story demonstrates what’s possible when a community believes in its students.
During Black History Month, we celebrate her not only for her accomplishments, but for what she represents.
Excellence rooted in responsibility. Leadership grounded in integrity. Opportunity built on the shoulders of those who came before.
Her journey reminds us that when schools invest in students, those students carry that investment forward into the world.